Pad Thai (x0.5 scale)
Recipe by user david
Classic Pad Thai with rice noodles, chicken, shrimp, tofu, and a tangy tamarind-lime sauce finished with peanuts and fresh herbs.
This is a traditional-style Pad Thai that balances sweet, salty, sour, and savory flavors using tamarind, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice, with chicken, shrimp, and fried tofu for a satisfying mix of textures. It’s ideal as a weeknight stir-fry if you prep the components ahead (soak noodles, make sauce, and prep toppings), and it’s especially great for serving guests because it comes together fast once the wok is hot. The key tip is to use enough oil and stir-fry quickly to prevent the soaked rice noodles from sticking; have everything measured and within arm’s reach before you start cooking.
- 125 g 125 g flat rice noodles
Soak the noodles in plenty of cold water for at least 1 hour.
- 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp tamarind paste
- 2 Tbsp 2 Tbsp (30 g) water, warm
Combine tamarind paste and warm water in a small bowl; soak for at least 15 minutes.
- 62 g 62 g boneless skinless chicken breasts, sliced into 1/4-inch strips
Slice the chicken into 1/4-inch strips; reserve.
- 62 g 62 g fried tofu, cubed
Cut the fried tofu into 3/4-inch cubes; reserve.
- 3 Tbsp 3 Tbsp roasted unsalted peanuts, ground into coarse meal
Process the peanuts into a coarse meal; reserve.
- 1 Tbsp, 1 1⁄2 tsp 1 Tbsp, 1 1⁄2 tsp (25 g) fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp (12 g) sugar
- 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp (15 g) lime juice
Mash the soaked tamarind in its liquid, then strain to extract the juice; whisk in fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice and reserve the sauce; discard solids.
- 1⁄4 cup 1⁄4 cup (52 g) vegetable oil
- 1⁄2 tsp 1⁄2 tsp garlic, chopped
- 4 4 large shrimp (21/25 count), shelled and deveined
- 1 1 (51 g) large egg
Heat oil in a wok until just about to smoke. Add garlic and stir about 30 seconds, then stir-fry chicken 1 minute. Add tofu and shrimps and stir-fry 1 minute. Crack eggs into the wok and let fry without breaking them up for 1–2 minutes.
Drain the noodles and add to the wok; fold and stir-fry for 1 minute from the bottom up. Add the reserved tamarind sauce and stir-fry, mixing, for 1–2 minutes until noodles are al dente and reduced in volume.
- 1⁄2 cup 1⁄2 cup beansprouts
- 1 stem 1 stem green onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
Stir in about 2/3 of the ground peanuts and about 2/3 of the bean sprouts, then add all the green onion pieces; stir-fry for 30 seconds and remove from heat.
- 1⁄4 tsp 1⁄4 tsp roasted chilies
- red pepper, cut into strips, for topping
- fresh coriander leaves, for topping
- lime, cut into wedges, for serving
Transfer to a serving dish. Sprinkle with roasted chilies; top with remaining peanuts and sprouts, red pepper strips, and fresh coriander leaves. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.
Notes
Use enough oil and work quickly to prevent the noodles from sticking.
If the chicken is hard to slice thinly, chill it in the freezer for 15–20 minutes to firm it slightly before slicing.
Thanks for visiting my site. | master-e7a5c10 (docker)